U.S. patent number 4,680,838 [Application Number 06/600,212] was granted by the patent office on 1987-07-21 for device for detachably connecting two elements.
Invention is credited to Franz Astl.
United States Patent |
4,680,838 |
Astl |
July 21, 1987 |
Device for detachably connecting two elements
Abstract
One or the female part of two releasably connected parts has a
recess, cavity or the like, the second or male part is a couterpart
insertable therein. Engaging elements are formed by at least one
layer of elastic, vertically extending bristles, short fibers or
the like, which are preferably electrostatically flocculated and
engage on an uneven counterface. The face or faces provided with
elastic bristles or the like as well as the counterface or
counterfaces extend parallel to the moving directions of the two
parts. In a preferred embodiment, the uneven counterface is a
second layer of elastic, vertically extending bristles, short
fibers or the like. During displacement in one direction, the
bristles are moved into inclined positions and have to follow every
change of direction. Thereby, a resistance has to be overcome, the
resistance reaching a maximum in a change of direction of
180.degree., i.e. a reverse of direction, but being adapted to be
overcome without damaging the bristles according to the invention.
Hence, a continuous locking of the two parts without requiring
additional locking devices as well as a repeatedly releasable and
restorable connection is obtained.
Inventors: |
Astl; Franz (Tyrol,
AT) |
Family
ID: |
3498793 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/600,212 |
Filed: |
April 16, 1984 |
PCT
Filed: |
February 12, 1981 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/AT81/00002 |
371
Date: |
October 09, 1981 |
102(e)
Date: |
October 09, 1981 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO81/02332 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
August 20, 1981 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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314075 |
Oct 9, 1981 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/442;
24/449 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16B
13/02 (20130101); F16B 2/00 (20130101); F16B
5/07 (20130101); F16L 37/00 (20130101); Y10T
24/2767 (20150115); Y10T 24/27 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
F16L
37/00 (20060101); F16B 5/07 (20060101); F16B
5/00 (20060101); F16B 13/02 (20060101); F16B
13/00 (20060101); F16B 2/00 (20060101); A44B
018/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;24/1R,306,204,256,257,303,452,449,446,442 ;403/105,292,377 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Peshock; Robert
Assistant Examiner: Stone; Cary E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McAulay, Fields, Fisher, Goldstein
& Nissen
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 314,075
filed Oct. 9, 1981 which is now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a releasable connecting applicance:
a female part forming a hole defined by an inner surface;
a male part defined by an outer surface adapted for movement from a
disengaged position in a predetermined direction in said hole to
assume an engaged position;
each of said surfaces having an area extending at least partly
parallel to said direction, at least a portion of said area of each
of said surfaces being uneven as to show elevations and
depressions;
a layer of adjacently arranged elastic fiber elements in at least
one of said surfaces, the peaks of said fiber elements forming the
elevations in said at least one of said areas;
the length of said fiber elements on at least one surface being
greater than the spacing between the depressions on said at least
one surface and the elevations of the other surface;
said fiber elements being straight over their entire length and
free of hook-like recesses on their surface for interengagement
with said surface;
whereby during insertion of said male part into said female part a
bending force has to be overcome to bring said fiber elements from
their normal position relative to the direction of insertion to an
inclined position in the direction of insertion; and
said elastic fiber elements resisting a movement in the opposite
direction.
2. In a releasable connecting appliance:
a female part forming a first hole, said first hole being defined
by a first inner surface;
a first male part movable from a disengaged position in a
predetermined direction into said first hole to assume therein an
engaged position;
a first outer surface defining said first male part;
said first male part having a second hole having a second inner
surface;
a second male part movable from a disengaged position in said
direction into said second hole to assume an engaged position;
a second outer surface defining said second male part;
said first inner surface and said first outer surface together
forming a first pair of associated surfaces;
said second inner surface and said second outer surface together
forming a second pair of associated surfaces;
each of said pairs of associated surfaces having an area extending
at least partially parallel to said direction, at least a portion
of said area being uneven to show elevations and depressions;
a layer of adjacently arranged elastic fiber elements forming the
elevations of said uneven area on at least a selected area of at
least one surface in each of said pairs of associated surfaces;
each of said fiber elements extending substantially normal to said
direction and being straight over their entire length, the length
of each of said fiber elements corresponding to the height of the
elevations over the depressions and being at least greater than the
distance between the depression of one of said surfaces and the
elevation of said other of the pair of associated surfaces;
each of said fiber elements being straight over their entire length
and free of hook-like recesses on their surface for interengagement
with said connecting surface;
whereby during insertion of said male part into said female part a
bending force has to be overcome to bring said fiber elements from
theier normal position relative to the direction of insertion to an
inclinded position in the direction of insertion; and ng movement
in
each of said fiber elements permitting movement in the direction of
insertion while resisting a movement in the opposite direction.
3. In a releasable connecting appliance:
a female part forming a hole defined by an inner surface;
a male part defined by an outer surface adapted for movement in a
predetermined direction from a disengaged position separately from
said female part into said hole to assume an engaged position in
said female part;
each of said surfaces having an area extending at least partly
parallel to said direction, in said engaged position of said male
part, each of said surfaces being uneven and having elevation and
depressions;
a layer of adjacently arranged elastic fiber elements on each of
said areas so as to face each other in said engaged position
wherein the fiber elements of one of said layers overlap the fiber
elements of the other one of said layers opposed to said one layer
so as to interengage each other;
said fiber elements extending substantially normal to said
direction in said disengaged position, the height of said fiber
elements on at least one of said surfaces being greater than the
distance between the depressions on each of said surfaces;
said fiber elements being straight over their entire length and
free of hook-like recesses on their surface and when interengaged
opposing any change in the direction of movement;
whereby during insertion of said male part into said female part a
binding force has to be overcome to bring said fiber elements from
their normal position relative to the direction of insertion to an
inclined position in the direction of insertion; and
said fiber elements resisting a movement in the opposite
direction.
4. In a releasable connecting appliance as claimed in claim 1,
wherein:
said male part includes first and second male members
said first male member being movable from a disengaged position in
a predetermined direction into said hole to assume therein an
engaged position;
a first outer surface defining said first male member;
said first male member including an inner surface surrounding a
second hole;
said second male member being movable from a disengaged position in
said direction into said second hole to assume an engaged
position;
a second outer surface defining said second male member;
said first-mentioned inner surface and said first outer surface
together forming a first pair of associated surfaces;
said second-mentioned inner surface and said second outer surface
together forming a second pair of associated surfaces;
each of said pairs of associated surfaces having an area extending
at least partly parallel to said direction, at least a portion of
said last-mentioned area being uneven to show elevations and
depressions;
each of said associated, surfaces have a predetermined minimum
distance from each other measured from the elevations of one
surface to the depressions of the other surface and a predetermined
maximum distance measured between said last-mentioned depressions
in the engaged positions; and
said layer of said adjacently arranged elastic fiber elements
forming the elevations of said uneven area on at least a selected
area of at least one surface in each of said pairs of associated
surfaces.
5. In the releasable connecting appliance as set forth in one of
claims 1, 2, or 3, wherein said layer of adjacently arranged fiber
elements is electrostatically flocculated.
6. In the releasable connecting appliance as set forth in one of
claims 1, 2, 3, wherein said layer comprises fiber elements of
magnetizable material.
7. In the releasable connecting appliance as set forth in claim 1,
2, or 3, wherein each of said layers comprises fiber elements of
magnetizable material, the layers facing each other being
magnetized with different poles.
8. In the releasable connecting appliance as set forth in claim 1,
2, 3, including elastically deformable stop means comprising the
fibers which are elastically deformable by the movement in one of
said directions, the elastic deformation in one of said directions
being greater than the resilience of said fiber elements.
9. In the releasable connecting appliance as set forth in claim 1,
2 or 3, wherein said layer of adjacently arranged fiber elements
includes a coating covering at least a portion of at least one of
said areas.
10. In the releasable connecting appliance as set forth in claims
1, 2 or 3, further comprising at least one carrier member for
carrying one of said layers.
11. In the releasable connecting appliance as set forth in claim 1,
2 or 3, wherein the fiber elements are formed of magnetizable
material, and each said surface is differently magnetized.
12. In the releasable connecting appliance as set forth in claim 1
or 2, wherein:
each of said surfaces includes a layer of the said adjacently
arranged elastic fiber elements;
said fiber elements of one of said layers overlapping the fiber
elements of the other of said layers opposed to said one layer so
as to interengage each other.
13. In the releasable connecting appliance as claimed in claim 1 or
2, wherein the height of said fibers on the other of said surfaces
is less than the height between the depressions on each of said
surfaces but greater than the distance between the elevations on
each of said surfaces.
14. In the releasable connecting appliance as claimed in claim 1 or
2, wherein:
the height of said fibers on one of said surfaces is greater than
the distance between the depressions on each of said surfaces.
15. In the releasable connecting appliance as set forth in claim 1
or 2, wherein the inner surface of said female part has an uneven
surface and is free of fibers.
16. In the releasable connecting appliance as set forth in claim 1
or 2, wherein each of said surfaces includes said layer of
adjacently arranged fibers, and the fibers on one of said surfaces
is longer than the spacing distance between the depression on each
of said surfaces in the engaged position of said parts.
17. In the releasable connecting appliance as claimed in claim 1,
2, or 3, wherein the height of said fibers on each of said surfaces
is less than the distance between the depressions on each of said
surfaces and greater than the distance between the elevations on
each of said surfaces.
18. In the releasable connecting appliance as set forth in claim 1,
2, or 3, wherein said fiber elements extend substantially normal to
the direction in said disengaged position.
19. In the releasable connecting appliance as claimed in claim 1,
2, 3, wherein the height of said fibers is greater than the
distance between the elevations on said one surface and the
depressions on said other surface.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
1. Background of the Invention
The invention relates to means for releasably connecting two parts,
one of said parts forming a female part having a recess, cavity or
the like and the other one of said parts forming a male part having
a counterpart adapted to be inserted into said recess, cavity or
the like or to be movable therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A dowel-like socket pin has, for example, been described in the
DE-OS No. 1 945 377 which is provided with a multitude of teeth
which are arranged over its circumference and project radially or
towards the head of the fastening element from its outer surface.
The corresponding bore has smooth walls. The fastening element is
driven into the bore, the teeth thereby resting against the walls
of the bore and being braced therein, when exposed to tensile
forces. This connection is designed as an unreleasable connection
which is only releasable under excessive stress, whereby one of the
two parts is damaged and can no longer be repaired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, the object of this invention to provide means
forming a connection between two parts, when such parts are moved,
such connection offering great resistance to the back movement of
the two parts and at the same time eliminating the adverse effect
of damaging said means, when overcoming said resistance, so that
said connection is releasable and restorable.
According to the invention, this is achieved by arranging elastic
elements extending substantially vertically to the moving direction
on at least part of the faces of said female part or of said male
part extending parallel to the moving direction, and by adapting
each counterface of the male part or of the female part extending
also parallel to the moving direction to be uneven, the elastic
elements being a layer of adjacently arranged bristles, short
fibers or the like, the lengths of said bristles being at least
greater than the distance between the face provided with elastic
elements and the face of contact of the raised areas on the uneven
counterface.
The means according to the invention can be applied with any kind
of connection between two parts. The two parts may be entirely
separable, e.g. when a plug connection is provided between them.
They may, however, not be entirely separable from each other so
that a limited sliding or rotational movement is possible. The
elastic elements, which are bristles or the like, may be made of
any suitable material and have different characteristics. Both
depends on the kind of parts which are to be connected and on the
degree of rigidity of the connection. A person of skill in the art
will have to choose the suitable criteria for the bristles
depending on the use of the connection. Such criteria are the
material, the elasticity, the number of bristles per surface unit,
the size of the surface on which the bristles have to be arranged,
the kind and size of uneven areas of the counterface etc.
When joining two entirely separate parts, e.g. a plug connection by
means of fastening bolts and corresponding recesses, groove and
tongue etc., the bristles or the like are inclined backwards, and
their free ends are pressed against the uneven counterface. Thereby
they penetrate into the lowered areas of the counterface and at the
beginning of the back movement, they brace against the side faces
of the raised areas whereby the close arrangement of such areas
prevent an escape of the bristles or the like. When applying force,
the inclined bristles or the like are compressed, thus, producing
the resistance against pull-out forces. When applying increased
force, the orientation of the bristles or the like is suddenly
changed. They relax because of their elasticity, thereby moving in
respect of the present moving direction into the same inclined
position as during the inserting movement. During the further back
movement, the resistance to pull-out forces is the same as the
resistance to push-in forces and, hence, only the same small amount
of force is required now. The elastic bristles as well as the
uneven counterfaces are not subjected to any changes so that the
released connection may be restored at any time.
If the movement is limited on both parts, i.e. a total separation
of the two parts is not possible, the elastic bristles or the like
are bent into an inclined position. The strong resistance at the
start of the back movement as well as the weak resistance during
further back movement are produced as afore-mentioned, such
phenomena occuring at each reversing of the displacing movement.
This is preferably employed with telescopic tubes, for example,
which are continuously adjustable and lockable in any desired
position contrary to the direction of insertion. If various,
differently orientated displacing movements are possible weak
resistance is produced in one moving direction. Great resistance
is, however, produced in all other moving directions as the
inclined positions of the bristles or the like must be changed in
every case. Such phenomenon allows, for example, to employ the
means according to the invention with ball-and-socket joints,
which, with the exception of one single moving direction, are
releasably locked in all other moving directions. After the
resistance in each of said other directions has been overcome, such
joints are movable in the changed direction, while all other
directions are locked. Hence, a ball-and-socket joint provided with
the means according to the invention does not need locking means
for being fixed. An increase in the reverse resistance occurs, when
the length of the bristles is greater than the distance between the
face provided with the elastic elements and the bottom of the
lowered areas of the uneven counterface. In this embodiment, the
bristles or the like, which are additionally braced against the
bottom of the lowered areas, are additionally deformed in
longitudinal direction and, hence, increasingly compressed.
Finally, a preferred embodiment provides that the counterface, too,
is provided with elastic elements extending therefrom substantially
vertically and formed by a second layer of bristles or the like,
their free ends forming the raised areas and their interspaces the
lowered areas of the uneven counterface.
In this embodiment, the resistance which has to be overcome, when
reversing the displacing movement, is substantially increased as
both layers of bristles must simultaneously change their inclined
positions. During the movement of insertion, the bristles are
inclined in opposite directions and, hence, engage in one another
at the start of the back movement. The resulting increased
compression and friction effect a substantially stronger resistance
and, hence, a firmer connection between the two parts. As soon as
the bristles have changed their positions and are inclined towards
the other side, the resistance to the back movement is reduced
again to the weak resistance occuring during the movement of
insertion.
At least one layer of bristles can be fixed to a carrier sheet,
carrier plate or the like, which is arranged on the face or
counterface. Further, at least one layer of bristles may be formed
by a coating. It is preferably provided that each layer of bristles
is electrostatically flocculated.
After having moved the counterpart to engage or brace the bristles,
an undesired back movement may occur in some cases before the
resistance become effective. Hence, it may further be provided that
an elastic body is arranged between a stop limiting the maximal
displacement path of the male part or counterpart in the female
part or recess, cavity or the like and the front face of the male
part, the elastic deformation under the force of displacement being
greater than the resilience of the elastic bristles.
The means according to the invention may be employed within a very
wide range. It may be employed in all cases in which the relative
movement between the two parts should be possible to both sides but
a strong resistance is to be overcome in each reversing point.
In the following, examples for applying the means according to the
invention will be given:
1. All releasable plug connections by means of dowel pins, groove
and tongue etc; for example, in the construction of furniture and
buildings, with movable partition walls, fair booths, suspended
ceilings, sheathing means and linings, picture frames;
2. all releasable closing means on commodities; on cases, bags,
bottles, tins, girdles, belts, suspenders, caps for fountain-pens
and ball pens, cover caps;
3. releasable connections on other objects; e.g. connections
between tools and handles, connection between toy bricks,
connections between the two members of door handles, connections on
any mounting members, connections on hose pipes and rigid pipes,
pipe connections for supports, telescopic tubes for stands, sliding
sleeves on umbrellas, dismountable camping furniture, tents etc.,
linings for vehicles;
4. releasable connections for rotational movements; joint catches,
ball-and-socket catches joint; between door frames and door frames
and door wings, furniture doors, flaps etc., lock nuts;
5. releasable connections in which the means according to the
inventions have a further function, e.g. in installation members
with electrically conductive elastic elements, such as bulbs and
sockets.
The material, length, elasticity, compactness of arrangement,
diameter etc. of the bristles can be chosen depending on their
use.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the following various embodiments of the invention will be
described in greater detail by means of the figures of the drawing
without being limited thereto.
FIGS. 1 through 3 show various possibilities for the structure of
the faces and counterfaces of two parts which are to be releasably
connected,
FIGS. 4 through 6 show a schematic view of the means according to
the invention employed in plug connections in structural members
corresponding to FIG. 2 or 3,
FIGS. 7 through 13 show a schematic view of a tube connection,
FIGS. 14 and 15 show a second embodiment of a plug connection
corresponding to FIG. 1, and
FIG. 16 shows an enlarged view of a member coated with elastic
elements.
DESCRIPTION ON THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The means according to the invention may always be used for joining
two members 1, 3, if the two parts 1, 3 have surfaces which extend
parallel to the moving direction and are moved past each other. One
of said faces at least is provided with a layer 4 of bristles or
similar elastic elements which are preferably electrostatically
flocculated. Said parts may be coated by means of other methods, or
the bristles may be fastened in a different way. The elastic
bristles are in close arrangement so that the coated region looks
similar to a brush. A female part 1 of said parts 1, 3 has a
recess, lowered area, cavity, channel, slot, hollow space etc.,
which has been designated with the reference number 2. The other
part, a male part 3, is a counterpart which is engageable,
insertable or movable in said female part. Said male part 3 may be
a projection, extension or the like of an object. In groove and
tongue connections, it may, however, be the connecting member
itself joining two parts 1 provided with recesses 2 or the like. As
illustrated in FIG. 1, the male part 3 is preferably provided with
a layer 4 of bristles, the length Z of said bristles being greater
than the distance X between the face of the male part or
counterpart part 3 carrying the bristles and an imaginary contact
face of the uneven counterface of the part 1, i.e. the surface of
the recess 2 or the like. The contact face may be planar,
cylindrical or spherical, corresponding to the shape of the recess
2 or the like, and is in contact with the raised areas 9 of the
counterface. The intermediately arranged lowered areas have been
designated with the reference number 8, the bottom of said lowered
areas is spaced from the face of the counterpart 3 carrying the
bristles by the distance Y.
When inserting the male part 3 into the recess 2, the bristles of
the layer 4 are inclined backwards and engage in the lowered area 8
of the counterface. Hence, resistance is offered against the
sliding movement into the opposite direction, said resistance only
being overcome by applying increased force, thus, reversing the
inclined position of the bristles. When the bristles are in such
reverse inclined position, the resistance against back movement
corresponds again to the weak resistance of the movement of
insertion.
In FIG. 2, two layers of elastic bristles are arranged. The
configuration and arrangement of the layer 4 on the male part 3
corresponds to the embodiment according to FIG. 1. The uneven
counterface of the recess 2 is formed by a second layer 5 of
elastic bristles, the free ends of the bristles corresponding to
the raised areas 9 and the interspace to the lowered areas 8 of the
uneven counterface according to FIG. 1. The resistance being
offered to the reverse sliding movement is substantially increased,
however, as the inclined engaging bristles are hooked into one
another, and both layers 4, 5 of bristles are forced to change
directions. The resistance to be overcome may be adapted to the
length, elasticity and compactness of the bristles. FIG. 3, for
example, shows bristles whose length Z is greater than the distance
Y.
FIGS. 4 through 6 show schematic views of the means according to
the invention employed in a plug connections, e.g. a dowel
connection. The dowel forms the male or counterpart 3 on which a
layer 4 of bristles is flocculated. In the female part 1, a second
layer 5 of bristles is flocculated on the side wall of the bore or
recess 2. The faces and counterfaces with bristles flocculated
thereon, therefore, extend parallel to the moving direction. When
inserting male part 3 into female part 1, a slight resistance a
occurs as the inclined bristles slide past one another. The
resistance b in the pull-out direction is substantially stronger
until the bristles have changed their directions.
The cross-sections of the male part 3 and of the recess 2 may have
any configuration. Round cross-sections create a further
interesting effect, which has been illustrated in FIGS. 7 through
13. They show a connection between two tubes whose surfaces are
provided with layers 4, 5 of elastic bristles. When inserting the
tubes into each other, the bristles are moved into inclined
positions and slide past one another. The sliding resistance a is
weak, the resistance b against the back movement is strong,
however. The tubes may, therefore, be inserted into each other over
any desired length, and a high resistance b of the bristles is put
up in any position within the length of insertion 7. If the further
insertion of the tube or part 3 into the tube or part 1 is to be
prevented the orientation of the bristles within the length of
insertion 7 only has to be reversed. As can be seen in FIG. 9, the
resistance b is put up against the movement of insertion. The weak
resistance a only is offered against the back movement during which
the bristles slide past one another. For reversing the bristles
and, hence, for changing the direction of the sliding resistance,
it is only required to overcome such resistance, thereby effecting
a change of the inclined positions of the bristles.
If the length of insertion 7 is very great, great inapplicable
forces may be required for overcoming the resistance by change of
direction. Because of the circular cross-sections the tubes can be
rotated against each other. FIG. 10 shows a cross-section
corresponding to a position according to FIG. 8. As can also be
seen in this Figure, the layers 4, 5 need not extend over the
entire surfaces of parts 1, 3 directed towards each other. Said
layers 4, 5 may also be provided in certain portions only. From the
position illustrated in FIG. 8, the same resistance c has to be
overcome in both directions of rotation. Said resistance c is
obviously stronger than the sliding resistance a in the sliding
direction but weaker than the resistance b in opposite direction.
This is due to the fact that the angle by which the inclined
bristles of each layer 4, 5 have to turn, when changing from the
sliding movement to the rotating movement, is substantially smaller
than when reversing the sliding direction.
When the change from the sliding movement to the rotational
movement has been effected, i.e. when the resistance c has been
overcome, the resistances a and b are alternately put up in the two
directions of rotation, i.e. during further rotation of the
internal, male part 3, the bristles slide past one another. The
resistance a is put up in the direction of rotation of the internal
part 3, opposite thereto the resistance b. When the resistance b
has been overcome by reversing the direction of rotation of the
internal part 3, the resistances a, b have also reversed (FIG. 12).
When the tubes shall be moved from the positions illustrated in
FIG. 11 or 12, i.e. after rotation of the two tubes, and displaces
along their axes, the resistance c has to be overcome in both
directions at the start of the displacing movement as a charge but
no reverse of the moving direction takes place. If the tubes are to
be further inserted into each other the bristles change into the
position according to FIG. 8. If the length of insertion is to be
reduced they change into the position according to FIG. 9.
As a result, the movement can be reversed by applying reduced
instantaneous force if the two parts are slightly rotated between
the push-in and pull-out movement. If engagement surfaces 7 are
only provided on portions of the circumference a rotation by
90.degree. can, according to FIG. 13, separate the layers of
bristles from one another, whereby their longitudinal displacement
as well as the resistance a can be eliminated. A quarter rotation
moves the bristles into the positions illustrated in FIG. 11 or 12,
whereby the connection is obtained.
The means according to the invention is, therefore particularly
suitable for any locking of ball-and-socket joints as in one
direction only a low resistance a is put up during movement, such
resistance increasing with the angle of the moving direction
towards the original direction and reaching at its maximum, when
reversing the moving direction. Such maximum can, however, be
produced in each direction if the parts are moved into the opposite
direction until the bristles are in alignment.
FIGS. 14 and 15 show an embodiment according to the representation
of FIG. 1. The recess 2 and the male or counterpart 3 are provided
with uneven counterfaces. Each counterface is associated with a
layer 4, 5 of bristles arranged on a sleeve-like intermediate
member and extending into opposite directions. When inserting the
parts into each other, the bristles of the two layers 4, 5 are
again bent into opposite directions and engage in the counterfaces.
The intermediate member 6 may be of metal or plastics.
FIG. 16 shows an enlarged view of a portion provided with a layer
4, 5 of bristles. The bristles are preferably electrostatically
flocculated onto an adhesive layer 10 coating the parts 1, 3. It
would also be possible to arrange the bristles on a carrier sheet
and to glue said sheet to the faces and counterfaces or to portions
thereof.
In embodiments which are exclusively linearly displaceable, an
elastic body may eliminate in each reversing point a certain
resilience which is produced until the inclined bristles engage on
the counterface. Said body is arranged as a stop at the end of the
recess 2.
Beside their actual task of providing a releasable connection, the
layers 4, 5 of bristles may also have other functions. They may be
used as sealing means in tube connections, when the medium flows at
low pressure. Further, they can be made of metal and function as
electrically conductive members, e.g. in bulbs and sockets in which
the thread has already been replaced by the means according to the
invention.
* * * * *